The history of the first locomotives in America. From original ...

• FIEST LOCOMOTIVE IN NEW YORK. 179
On tMs first excursion, on the 9tli day of August,
1831, as no such officer as a conductor had been required
upon the road, where hitherto no connected train of
cars had been run, but where each driver officiated as
collector of fares, Mr. John T. Clark, as the first passen-
ger railroad conductor in the North, stepping from platform
to platform outside the cars, collected the tickets
which had been sold at hotels and other places through
the city. When he finished his tour, he mounted upon
the tender attached to the engine, and, sitting upon the
little buggy-seat, as represented in our sketch, he gave
the signal with a tin horn, and the train started on its
way. But how shall we describe that start, my readers ?
It was not that quiet, imperceptible motion which char-
acterizes the first impulsive movements of the passenger-
engines of the present day. Not so. There came a
sudden jerk, that bounded the sitters from theii* places,
to the great detriment of their high-top fashionable
beavers, from the close proximity to the roofs of the
cars. This first jerk being over, the engine proceeded
on its route with considerable velocity for those times,
when compared with stage-coaches, until it arrived at a
water-station, when it suddenly brought up with jerk
No. 2, to the farther amusement of some of the excur-
sionists. Mr. Clark retained his elevated seat, thank-
iag his stars for its close proximity " to the tall smoke-
pipe of the machine, in allowing the smoke and sparks
to pass over his head. At the water-station a short
stop was made, and a successful experiment tried, to
remedy the unpleasant jerks. A plan was soon hit
upon and put into execution. The three links in the
couplings of the cars were stretched to their utmost
tension, a rail, from a fence in the neighborhood, was
placed between each pair of cars and made fast by means
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